GARDENS IN PROVENCE <i> by Louisa Jones with photos by Vincent Motte (Flammarian/Abbeville, dist.: $50; 252 pp.).</i>

Ravishing color photography, an extraordinarily complete text and the bonus of a visitors’ guide to the actual gardens make this lavish production invaluable for travelers and gardeners alike. A list of popular Provencal plants, most of which will thrive in California’s similar climate, add to the book’s interest. Using the book as reference, local enthusiasts can approximate, if not re-create, the ambience of the originals. While we may be a bit short on the medieval ruins that enhance many of the settings, the trees, herbs, flowers and ground cover all are readily available here, waiting to be integrated into the delightful combination of the practical and the aesthetic so typical of Southwestern France.